If Today Was Your Last Day
by auslly-is-adorkable
Summary: Austin's assignment in class is to live one day like it's his last. It doesn't go according to plan but he's more than please with the result. *One-shot*


Well, I got inspired to write this. I hope you like it.

* * *

Austin was guilty of not exactly being the best listener in class. Especially on days like today where it was Friday afternoon and he had a gig Sunday night at a Heat game. He was excited and could care less about what the teacher was saying. He wanted to meet Dez and Ally at their English class, pick up Trish from Art and go back to Sonic Boom and write a new song. But he couldn't because there were still twenty minutes left of his class until the end of the day.

The teacher droned on and on. At one point, something she said did peak his interest. "Imagine tomorrow was your last day on Earth. What are some things you'd do?"

One kid raised his hand immediately. "Rob a bank!" Austin laughed with the class.

"Okay," the teacher said, chuckling. "And why?"

"Because there'd be no consequences," he explains. "I wouldn't get in trouble."

"Okay, what else?" she asks generically.

"I'd tell the boy I like that I like him," a girl says.

"Right, and why?"

"Well because if he didn't like me back, I wouldn't have to live with the embarrassment," she says matter-of-factly.

"Right," the teacher says again. Austin was listening intently. "Most people, if they knew they only had one day to live and were able to do things, would take advantage of the opportunity and go crazy. But even then, there are consequences. For example, Stephen Hawking. He's lived many, _many _years with a disease that should have killed him after ten. If he was physically capable of taking risks and being fearless, do you think he would have the day before the mark of his tenth year?"

"Of course," Austin says. "If he thought he was going to die. But he didn't, so if he could have done those things and he _did _rob a bank-" he looks pointedly at the kid who suggested this, "or jumped off a cliff or killed someone, he would have been stuck with the consequences that come from the law."

"Right. But the idea is exciting, isn't it? Having all the power in the world for a single day because you knew you couldn't get in trouble?" The class nods unanimously. "Take a minute to think about it. What's something you'd do?"

Austin leans back and thinks. He's always wanted to climb a mountain and sing really loudly just to hear the natural echo. He's always wanted to see if he could win a pancake eating contest. Maybe learn to play every instrument in the world. There are still a few he hasn't touched yet. He wants to go on a trip with his friends to Hawaii and surf the waves and have late nights. Lots of things he has wanted to do before he has accomplished. He's very lucky that way. He wanted to be an overnight Internet sensation – did that. He wanted to play Times Square on New Year's Eve – did that. He wanted to go on tour – did that. He wanted to kiss Ally – did that. He wanted to perform at a Heat game – _doing _that.

He was lucky. He resented when people called him spoiled, because to him spoiled meant that he got everything he wanted because he wanted it. That wasn't the case. He worked for what he has.

"Thought about it?" the teacher asks the class. Austin nods, though he was more conflicted now than when he started. "How many of your ideas involved breaking the law?" A couple hands rose and she laughed. "It's okay, I'm not about to admit you to the police or tell your parents. If I had my way, I would do illegal things too." A couple more hands rose. "Exactly. It's a universal human condition to want things we can't have, meaning it's perfectly normal." She turns to face the chalkboard and messily writes 'If Today Was Your Last Day'. She looks to the analog clock above the door and to the anxious faces of the class. "Okay. Your homework for the weekend is simple: I want you to spend tomorrow – not Sunday, because you'll be tired Monday – having fun. I want you to act like tomorrow is your last day on Earth. You can't break the law, though, okay? _Don't_." Chuckles erupt from the class. "From 12 am to 12 am Sunday, you have to be reckless and spontaneous and do something you'd do on your last day. On Monday, you'll write a two-page personal essay about what you did in the full twenty four hours. Remember, you can sleep, but try to have fun!"

The bell rings then and the class starts to pack up frantically.

"And I'll tell you once more – no doing anything illegal!"

Austin smirks as he rushes out of class and down the hall to meet Ally and Dez.

"...excited for this project," they say to each other as they exit English. "But you can't make me do all of the work, Dez."

"I know, Ally," he replies. "At least it's not due until the eighteenth."

"Right," she says. She turns to Austin. "Hi! How was psychology?"

"Good, actually," Austin replies. "I have an assignment for the weekend."

She walks beside him as the head to Trish's room. "Are you actually going to do this one?" she teases.

"Yes, Ally," he replies in an equal tone. "Mrs. DeSilva wants us to go out from 12 tonight to 12 tomorrow and live the full twenty-four hours like it was our last day to live. Do everything we'd never do normally and have fun (provided it isn't illegal)," he snickers.

"That's cool," Ally says cheerfully. "What's on the bucket list?"

"I don't know yet, but I want you all to do it with me."

"Of course," Dez says. "Zaliens marathon!"

"Uh, Dez? I think he means something not ordinary and reoccurring," she says.

"Oh," he pouts playfully.

Trish comes out then. "What's up?"

* * *

It was 11:53pm. Austin had been with his friends since school ended that day, coming up with a thousand ideas but none being worth it. He had a checklist of the few he settled on:

not go to sleep

tell one person how you really feel about them no matter what

go on a follow spree on Tweeter

"This is brutal," he sighs. "I have five minutes to solidify my list." He stretches out on the couch in the practise room and rests his head in Ally's lap like a pillow.

She laughs. "Excuse you, I'm not a headrest." She swats his shoulder playfully.

"Are you sure?" he asks, looking up at her. "You're awfully comfortable." She just shakes her head at him, still laughing. "Are you really going to make me move?" he pouts.

"No, it's fine," she replies. Trish laughs at them then redirects her attention to Dez. Ally starts to comb his hair with her fingers. "Are you already tired?" she wonders.

"Not tired," he says. "Just, relaxed I guess. I don't know. I don't know what else there is to do. I was thinking about it earlier and everything I've wanted to do I've basically done. Because of you guys, my bucket list is almost complete."

"What else is there?"

"Well I want to take a late night drive in the country listening to loud music and stuff. And I want to perform in Vegas on my 21st birthday. But that's basically it."

She stops combing. Well we don't have any country areas around here but we can still do the late night drive. Fill your gas tank and let's go."

He sits up suddenly. "Really?" She nods. "Okay! Let's go. He grabs his keys and helps her up. Let's go, guys. We're taking a drive."

"Where?" Dez asks, following.

"Anywhere."

* * *

It's 2 am. They're driving down the highway and it's dead. Not a single car in sight. The music is blasting. Somehow Dez fell asleep and Trish is drawing on him with a black marker, snickering and taking pictures of them as blackmail.

Austin and Ally are in the front, singing at the top of their lungs to Three Days Grace. When it's done, Ally turns the volume all the way down. "McDonalds?" Austin suggests to the girls.

"Count me in," Trish pipes in from the back.

"Me too," Ally agrees.

"Cool."

* * *

It's 6 am. Dez is awake again, but Trish is asleep. Ally is getting super tired. They're back near Sonic Boom.

"Why don't we head inside and revisit the list?" Austin suggests. He used this as an excuse so the girls could rest. She didn't object.

He helps her out and she wakes Trish up. He puts his arm around Ally's shoulder to anchor her weight as she desperately tries to stay upright. She's absolutely exhausted. By the stairs to the practise room, she's practically asleep and nearly falls. Austin is quick to catch her and she jolts upright, startled. "Sorry," she murmurs. "Sorry, I'm just.. I'm so," she mumbles incoherently as they walk up to the room. "I'm so..." He leads her to the couch and sits her down.

"Tired," he finishes for her. "You're tired. I know. Sleep," he says softly. He lays a blanket over her and gives another to Trish – who actually managed to wake up enough to walk up the stairs.

"Thanks," she laughs. "I've never seen her this defeated." She nods towards Ally, already passed out. She sits on the opposite side of the couch and covers herself.

"No problem," he grins before leaving. He closes the door. What a bust, this day. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain it to his teacher. He heads downstairs and takes a seat beside Dez on the bottom step.

"Any other ideas for today?" he asks.

Austin shakes his head. "Nope."

"Well you could always go back to the list."

Austin pulls it out of his pocket. "Don't go to sleep. So far – check. Tell someone how I really feel about them. Tweeter follow spree."

"Get out your phone and let's follow some people, then," Dez says enthusiastically.

* * *

Forty minutes later and Austin hits follow limit. The ones he followed are ecstatic but the others are sad. Twenty minutes later he has tweeted about a hundred fans. His fingers are cramping. His eyes are getting heavy. He's determined to stay awake.

"Now what?" he asks.

"Tell someone how you really feel about them."

"Like who?" he wonders.

"Like _me_!"

He rolls his eyes. "Dude, you're my best friend. You know how I feel about you."

"Trish."

"I'm straight up with Trish already."

"Al-"

"My parents, maybe. But like, what would I say? 'Gee Mom and Dad, I love you guys. Even though you weren't very supportive of me in the beginning, you jumped on board eventually'," he says.

"True," Dez half-laughs. "What about A-"

"I mean, I think I'm going to have to tell Mrs. DeSilva that I'm not cut out for a pre-apocalyptic life."

Dez sighs. "Maybe. Why don't you tell All-"

"Austin," they hear suddenly. Dez throws his hands up dramatically and huffs away to the piano from his frustration.

Austin looks up to see Ally coming down the stairs. "Morning, sunshine," he teases.

"I was thinking," she says, ignoring his comment. "I know that you want to do this thing, but we also need to make time to write your song today. You're performing for the Heat tomorrow."

He face palms. "Right," he says. "Forgot. What time do you want to do it?"

"Any time," she says. "But I have to open the store in an hour before my dad gets here. So maybe around 9?"

He looks at his watch. He had an hour an a half to kill. "Sure."

She heads back in the room.

"What were you trying to say, Dez?" he asks.

"Never mind," he replies dismissively.

"I'm going upstairs."

"Don't fall asleep."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Ha. Ha," he says sarcastically at Austin's pun.

* * *

It's 12 pm. They've been at it for hours now. The lack of sleep was getting the better of them. Austin had heavy bags under his eyes and Ally looked so tired she looked sick. Trish and Dez went home. They couldn't do it. They tried, but Trish gets moodier than usual when she's tired and Dez gets more emotional. And it's not like they've never pulled all-nighters for a song before but because they went driving for hours and had McDonalds and were singing exceptionally loud, they were beat.

"Sorry," he says. "Maybe this was a bad idea." He gets up from the piano and sits on the couch.

"It's okay," she laughs softly, joining him. She pats her lap. He lies down and rests his head there like before. "It's an assignment for school. I'm glad you're taking it this seriously, actually."

"Well, it's just..." He pauses to contemplate his next words. He looks up at her. "It's just, it's a good question, you know. What would I do if I knew I only had one day to live. I'd want to spend it with you guys. I know this for a fact. You guys mean everything to me. But it's no different from _every _other day. And that's okay, I'm happy about that, but I don't know what I'd do differently. Sean from Pysch said he'd rob a bank because there'd be no consequences. Yeah, sure, I guess that's true. But I wouldn't want to. And my bucket list was a bust."

She begins to comb his hair again like last night. "I know what I'd do," she tells him cheerily.

"What?" he wonders curiously.

"Well," she begins. "I'd buy a jar of pickles." He snickers. "And I'd call you, Trish and Dez over. I'd have you sing for me, just because I love your voice. I'd have you sing the songs I wrote, songs _we _wrote, random songs like _Animal I Have Become_, anything. Just because singing makes you happy and it makes me happy and music makes everyone happy. I'd get a big comfy blanket and my pickles and plop on the couch with Trish and listen. Maybe I'd have Trish and Dez do improv skits together." She giggles. "I'd watch the Zaliens movies with you guys because you all love them."

"But you hate them," he interrupts her, confused.

"Yes," she agrees. "They're cheesy, unrealistic and couldn't be scary if they tried. But I've seen the looks on your faces when you watch them. The way Dez mutters every single word under his breath, the way Trish quotes the evil queen _every _time she speaks, the way you sit at the edge of your seat when your favourite parts come. But I like movies you all don't like and that's okay. Maybe I'd watch the Notebook, too, that day. I'd watch it with you guys so Trish and I could cry over Ryan Gosling and I could watch you and Dez frantically try to _not_ look wrapped up in the romanticism. And when you'd run to 'get us tissue', I'd play along with your ploy and pretend I didn't know you were crying, too." She stops playing with his hair and looks at the piano longingly. "And maybe... Maybe right before midnight, I'd sing _Finally Me_. Because the song is so important to me and I could celebrate that I overcame my stage fright. And you and Trish and Dez could sit with me and listen because you are the people I love the most. And at 11:59, I'd say I love you to all of you, lay down on this couch like you are, and I'd close my eyes and die happily."

Austin blinks quickly to hide the tears that form out of no where. "You've got it all figured out, eh?" he manages to say.

"Yeah, well I mean, lots of people try desperately to do extravagant things that are risky and fun and adventurous. But... I don't need that. It's not about the activity, but the company. As long as I'm with people that are important to me, it doesn't really matter what I do." She rustles his hair and grins. "It's simple. What was left on your list anyway?"

"Just to tell someone how I truly feel about them," he says. She nods in understanding. "But I don't know who to tell. I'm pretty straight up with everyone."

"So... tell me," she says.

"What?" he says, sitting up.

"Tell me how you 'truly feel'. We haven't really talked about us since like... the card, anyway."

He just blinks. He doesn't know what to say. "Well, okay. Let me think of where to begin."

She turns to face him completely and smiles, getting comfortable.

"I think you're beautiful," he says bluntly. "Ever since I met you, I've thought so. Then, you _somehow_ got even more beautiful during the summer. And you did that thing with your hair that I love so much." He looks down at his hands and fidgets a little. "And when I first heard you sing Double Take, I was... absolutely taken aback by your voice. Because you initially came across as this shy, timid girl and your voice was exactly the opposite and it was the best surprise ever. I knew then and I still know now that I shouldn't have eavesdropped on you but I really honestly couldn't make myself stop." He takes a deep breath. "And when you said you'd be my partner, I was over the moon. Because I already developed this weird idea in my head that I wouldn't get anywhere in my career or even my life if you weren't in it because I knew then, even if only subconsciously, that I was Austin and you were Ally and it was like a really big puzzle with a million small pieces that only went together if we were together because once the puzzle was completed, the big picture wasn't you and me, but rather _us_ because one word is more powerful than two. And I know that I'm rambling but you ramble and it's cute so I hope when I do it it's cute, too." He doesn't look at her, but at the piano. "And we make beautiful music together and I'm not going to lie to you, sometimes I wake up and wish it was a dream. Because dreams are far less painful. But you aren't a dream, you're real and you're more indescribably perfect.

"I think the reality is that I've liked you forever. Maybe I had fallen in like with you immediately. But it took me a lot longer to fall in love, because I didn't know you enough at first to be in love with you at all. But I got to know you and all your quirks, like how you love pickles and how you had a friend that was a goose and that you like silent movies and the minor key and that you chew your hair when you're nervous. And then when you sang on stage with me at the Halloween party I half expected you to get sick on stage and I was so afraid because it was your first time ever being so confident in yourself. But you didn't get sick and I was so proud of you and you were owning the stage and it wasn't Austin and Taylor Swift or even Austin and Ally because it was entirely you. Just Ally. And it was incredible, because for the first time it wasn't about me and I loved it. I've never been able to thank you, and all you do is give for me.

"I'm a jerk to you sometimes, I know. I hate it. And when I was trying to decide over you and Kira, my entire being was consumed with me needing to be with you. Not just as a boyfriend but as a a friend, because when I dated her, I started drifting from all of you and that wasn't okay. And then I did choose Kira because I was afraid a relationship between us would complicate everything. But I realized that not being with you complicated it more because I found that you were on my mind every second of the day and I couldn't concentrate on being a good boyfriend to Kira. I ended up hurting both of you and that was the worst because I _hate_ seeing people hurt on my behalf." He pulls his knees to his chest and stares at the floor. Anything to avoid looking at her. "Then we were together. And it was great. Then we broke up. And it wasn't. And we told ourselves it was for the best but it wasn't, Ally. I needed you a lot more than you needed me. Because when it comes to you, everything flies out the window. I wasn't strong enough to deal with it. And I wrote_ Steal Your Heart _and _Timeless_ and it was my way of telling you this but not really showing it I guess.

"Then I went on tour without you and cried as the bus pulled away and I left you that card and it told you a lot of how I felt. It wasn't as in depth as this. But Ally, when it comes to you, I could write a book on what makes you perfect and on why I'm absolutely, undeniably head over heels for you and everything that comes with being with you. And it's being eating me on the inside not being able to speak the truth to anyone, even myself. But you're an exception to every rule and I feel like I can tell you everything about anything."

He looks up in to her eyes now and sees that tears are silently streaming down her face. "And I guess this is how I truly feel. Like you literally took half of my heart the second we met, and I'm slowly dying without you."

It's silent for a long time. He's not sure how long. Seconds, minutes, hours. Who knows. All he's sure of is that he poured his heart out for this girl in a way that no one has ever. He watches her intently as she stares at nothing on the couch. She stares. Blinks. Swallows. Repeats. He's suddenly feeling very tired.

"I can't believe you said all of these things," she whispers. "I thought... Well, I don't know what I thought you felt, but it certainly wasn't this." She looks up at him and smiles. "I love you, too."

* * *

Monday afternoon, Austin finds his desk in Psych and scrolls through his Tweeter feed, quickly thanking his fans about the good buzz from the Heat game last night. He and Ally didn't get around to writing a song, but he sang _Better Than This_ and the crowd was more than pleased.

"Great job yesterday," a girl said flirtatiously as she walked by his desk.

"Thanks," he replies, ignoring the wink she sent his way.

"Hi guys," Mrs DeSilva greets as she walks in. "How was your weekend?"

A collective murmur is heard from the class.

"I hope you all did your assignment?"

"Mhm," everyone mutters.

"Great. Did you find it fun?"

"Yes," less people reply.

"Love the enthusiasm," she says sardonically. "Anyway, as discussed, I'd like you to pull out a few sheets of paper and begin your rough draft of your personal essay about what you noticed this weekend. Remember, even though this isn't a formal essay, I'd still like an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Go."

Austin pulls a notebook from his bag and a pencil. He thinks for a moment and begins.

_Saturday opened my eyes for the better,_ he writes. _I didn't do everything I wanted to do but I got to do stuff that was better. As a good friend once told me, it doesn't matter what activity you do, as long as the company is good._

He smiles to himself as he writes on.

* * *

"It was one of the best days ever," he reads. It's exactly a week later and he's presenting to the class. He's just about finished. "I almost wish it was my last. There was no possible way I could have died happier. And I think that's how life should be. Not living on the edge, necessarily, but doing things that make you happy. Because what if you _didn't_ wake up tomorrow? Would you look back on your life and be proud of the way you spent that one day? I would."


End file.
